The Carolina Association was a minor league baseball league that played from 1908 to 1912. The Carolina Association played as a six–team Class D level league. The league consisted of teams based in North Carolina and South Carolina, with the same six franchises playing for the duration of the league.
History The Carolina Association began play as a six–team Class D level league in the 1908 season. The league president was George L. Hammond. The charter members were the Anderson Electricians of Anderson, South Carolina, Charlotte Hornets of Charlotte, North Carolina, Greensboro Champs of Greenville, South Carolina, Greenville Spinners of Greenville, South Carolina, Spartanburg Spartans of Spartanburg, South Carolina and Winston-Salem Twins of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The same six franchises played for the duration of the league history. The Anderson Electrics name derived from a recently built hydro electric plant in Anderson.
In their first season of play, the 1908 Carolina Association played a regular season without playoffs, which continued throughout their existence. The 1908 final standings featured the Greensboro Champs (51–38), Spartanburg Spartans (49–39), Greenville Spinners (48–36), Winston-Salem Twins (41–48), Charlotte Hornets (40–47) and Anderson Electricians (32–53).
On May 9, 1908, Spartanburg turned a triple play against the Greensboro Champs.
A native of the Greenville, South Carolina area, Shoeless Joe Jackson played for the 1908 Greenville Spinners, hitting .346 to lead the Carolina Association. While earning a salary of $75.00 a month, Jackson also led the Carolina Association in hits (120) and RBI (72). In August, 1908, Jackson's contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Athletics for $900.00 and Jackson immediately made his major league debut. Today, there is a museum and monuments honoring Jackson in Greenville.
In 1909, Joseph H. Wearn became the Carolina Association president, a position he would hold for the remaining duration of the league. The 1909 Carolina Association final standings were won by for the second consecutive season by Greensboro. The Greensboro Patriots (65–44) were followed by the Anderson Electricians (63–48), Winston-Salem Twins (54–52), Greenville Spinners (61–51), Winston-Salem Twins (54–52) and Spartanburg Spartans (40–71).
The Greenville Spinners (63–40) were the 1910 Carolina Association Champions. Following Greenville in the standings were the Charlotte Hornets (56–50), Anderson Electricians (56–54), Winston-Salem Twins (51–57), Spartanburg Spartans (50–57) and Greensboro Champs (46–64).
In the 1911 Carolina Association, the Winston-Salem Twins (72–37) won the championship. The Greensboro Patriots (66–43), Charlotte Hornets (52–58), Anderson Electricians (48–59), Spartanburg Spartans (44–63) and Greenville Spinners (42–64) rounded out the 1911 final standings.
In their final season of play, the 1912 Carolina Association champions were the Anderson Electricians (66–44). Anderson was followed by the Winston-Salem Twins (63–47), Charlotte Hornets (61–46), Spartanburg Red Sox (54–55), Greensboro Patriots (51–59) and Greenville Spinners (34–78).
After the 1912 season, the Carolina Association evolved into the 1913 Class D level North Carolina State League. Joseph H. Wearn continued as president of the newly named league. The three North Carolina franchises continued play in the North Carolina State League without the three South Carolina franchises.
Carolina Association teams Team name(s)City representedBallparkYear(s) activeAnderson ElectriciansAnderson, South CarolinaUnknown to Charlotte HornetsCharlotte, North CarolinaLatta Park Baseball Field to Greensboro Champs (1908)/Greensboro Patriots (1909–1912)Greensboro, North CarolinaCone Park to Greenville SpinnersGreenville, South CarolinaFurman Park to Spartanburg Spartans (1908–1911)/Spartanburg Red Sox (1912)Spartanburg, South CarolinaUnknown to Winston-Salem TwinsWinston-Salem, North CarolinaPrince Albert Park to
Standings & statistics The Carolina Association had no playoffs. The regular season first place team was the league champion.
1908 Carolina Association Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Greensboro Champs5138.573 – James McKevitt Greenville Spinners4836.571½Tom Stouch Spartanburg Spartans4939.5571½ Carlton Buesse Winston-Salem Twins4148.46110 Robert Carter Charlotte Hornets4047.46010Jess Reynolds / Philip Hinton / Danny Collins Anderson Electricians3253.37617Elmer Hines / Sam Woodward No Playoffs.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Shoeless Joe JacksonGreenville BA.346Walt HammersleyGreensboroW22 Shoeless Joe JacksonGreenville Hits120 Phifer Fullenwider CharlottePct.765; 13–4 Shoeless Joe JacksonGreenvilleRBI72 Alvin Barre GreenvilleRuns62
1909 Carolina Association Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Greensboro Patriots6544.596 – James McKevitt Anderson Electricians6348.5683James Kelly Greenville Spinners6151.5455½Tom Stouch Winston-Salem Twins 5452.5099½ Robert Carter Charlotte Hornets4663.42219Dan Collins / Lave Cross Spartanburg Spartans4071.36026 Carlton Beusse No Playoffs.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Al HumphreyCharlotte BA.296Roxy WaltersGreensboroW25 James KellyAnderson Hits117 Roxy Walters GreensboroSO148 James KellyAndersonRBI71 George Schmick AndersonPct.789: 15–4 Harvey Ritter SpartanburgHR11 Charles Sisson Greensboro Runs81
1910 Carolina Association schedule Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Greenville Spinners6340.612 –Tom Stouch Charlotte Hornets5650.5288½Lave Cross Anderson Electricians5654.50910½ James Kelly Winston-Salem Twins 5157.47214½ James McKivettt Spartanburg Spartans5057.46715 Andy Roth / Bob Wood Greensboro Champs4664.41820½ Carlton Beusse / Pug Hicks No Playoffs:
Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot +Player statisticsJames KellyAnderson BA.325Jim RedfernSpartanburgW21 James KellyAnderson Hits132 O.W. Brazille CharlotteW21 James KellyAndersonRBI66 Bert Gardin SpartanburgPct.750: 15–5 Red SmithAndersonHR4George Bausewine Charlotte SO192
1911 Carolina Association Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Winston-Salem Twins7237.661 – Charles Clancy Greensboro Patriots6643.5816 Frank Doyle Charlotte Hornets5258.47320½Lave Cross / Jack Agnew Anderson Electricians4859.44923 James Kelly Spartanburg Spartans4463.41127Bill Laval Greenville Spinners4264.39628½Tom Stouch No Playoffs.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot F.P. Wofford Charlotte BA.392Josh SwindellWinston–SalemW29 Bill Schumaker WWinston–Salem Hits145 Josh SwindellWinston–SalemPct.784; 29–8 Bill Schumaker Winston–SalemRBI91 Walt Rickard GreensboroRuns105 Red SmithGreenvilleHR17
1912 Carolina Association schedule Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Anderson Electricians6644.600 – George Ramsey Winston-Salem Twins6347.5733 Charles Clancy Charlotte Hornets6146.5703½Champ Osteen Spartanburg Red Sox5455.49511½ Bill Laval Greensboro Patriots5159.46415 Frank Doyle Greenville Spinners3478.30433Tom Stouch / Glenn Colby No Playoffs:
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Ralph YoungGreensboro BA.326 Pete Boyle Winston–SalemW16 Bill SchumakerWinston–Salem Hits125 Pete Boyle Winston–SalemPct.762; 16–5 Bill SchumakerWinston–SalemRBI106Paul FitteryAndersonSO191 Bill SchumakerWinston–SalemHR16Bill SchumakerWinston–SalemRuns73
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